


Bruins Buy Outside of Boston

by cjmasim



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe – House Hunters, Established Relationship, Fluff, Future Fic, Gen, House Hunting, M/M, Real Estate Agent Zdeno Chara
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-06-01 03:55:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15134561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cjmasim/pseuds/cjmasim
Summary: On this episode of Celebrity House Hunters, Boston Bruins players Danton Heinen and Ryan Donato search for their perfect family home in the suburbs of Boston. Danton wants a house that's modern and move–in ready, but Ryan wants something with historical charm and is open to renovations.





	Bruins Buy Outside of Boston

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [PuckingRare2018](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/PuckingRare2018) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> hgtv au (house hunters / flip or flop / fixer upper, etc...), a & b can be buying a house, fixing a house, etc...
> 
> Okay, so when I first saw this prompt, I got really excited and immediately thought of this pairing I've been thinking about writing, so I figured it was meant to be. You guys don't even know how many episodes of House Hunters I watched as ~research~ for this fic. So, thanks anon for the prompt!
> 
> Also, for those of you who don't really know why you should ship this or maybe don't even really know who these guys are, I highly recommend watching [this clip](https://www.nhl.com/bruins/video/behind-the-b-season-5-ep-12/t-277463846/c-59310403) from Behind the B, season 5, episode 12, around 15:30. Feel free to look up some images of their celebration of Ryan's first NHL goal, too. 
> 
> A few things to note for this fic: it takes place mid–July 2021, this is on a fictional House Hunters spin–off which focuses on celebrities, we're going to ignore the actual likelihood of such a spin–off ever happening due to privacy reasons, and you should totally make your predictions on which house they're going to pick and let me know how you do, because that's the most fun part of watching House Hunters and I tried to make this as true to a real episode as I could. Oh, and the italics signal either the narrator or something Danton and Ryan are doing on–screen while a voiceover is played or in between shots (it should be obvious which). 
> 
> Also, if you or someone you know personally is mentioned in this fic, please leave.
> 
> Enjoy!

"I literally see this staircase every night in my dreams," Ryan says in awe.  
   
_Danton and Ryan, two Boston Bruins players, are looking for their first home together just outside of Boston after years of living in cramped apartments._  
   
"We are going to have some sick parties in here!" Danton says, bringing his hand up to Ryan's for a high-five.  
   
_But even with a high budget,_  
   
"Two bathrooms?" Ryan grimaces.  
   
"I don't think this is going to work," Danton agrees.  
   
_some sacrifices will have to be made._  
   
"This carpet is tragic," Danton groans.  
   
"But the wall color is gorgeous," Ryan protests.  
   
_With two sets of near-impossibly high standards, will they be able to find the perfect new home?_  
   
"This house is too loud," Danton shakes his head.  
   
"The yard is kind of… lacking," Ryan says.  
   
"There are definitely ghosts in this kitchen."  
   
-  
   
_Hingham, MA_  
   
"Isn't this place nice?" Ryan asks.  
   
The two of them are walking down the beach, hand in hand, in the early morning. It's just them and HGTV's camera crew, and the beach hasn't even been closed to the public for filming.  
   
"It's nice," Danton agrees. "Strange, without all the people around. But pleasant."  
   
-  
   
"My name is Danton, I'm from Langley, BC, Canada, and I play for the Boston Bruins," he says to the camera.  
   
"My name is Ryan, I'm from Scituate, Massachusetts, and I also play for the Boston Bruins."  
   
_"Hey, pass it to me!" Ryan yells to Danton, who passes him the puck from the blue line. Ryan shoots it into the net, and Danton skates up to jump into his arms._  
   
"We've been together since early in Ryan's first full season," Danton continues. "So, almost three years now."  
   
"We had already met through training camps and all that, since we were drafted in the same year, and when I first joined the team, it was at the end of his rookie year. We played on a line together for my first game; he was almost as excited when I scored as I was," Ryan laughs. "Until we got on the bench; I distinctly remember him saying 'it took you long enough.'"  
   
"Just showing my support," Danton grins.  
   
"Sure," Ryan rolls his eyes. "I hardly knew anyone yet, and he was still somewhat new himself, so we just instantly clicked. I asked him out early the next season just because I couldn't stand to keep my feelings a secret, but I never actually thought he would say yes."  
   
"Turns out I'm full of surprises," Danton shrugs.  
   
"We came out to the world more recently, just over a year ago," Ryan adds.  
   
"And now we're well into the offseason, and we just signed matching long-term deals, so there's no better time to find our first house together." Danton reaches over and squeezes Ryan's hand.  
   
"We currently live in a two-bedroom apartment in the North End," Ryan says. "It's a pretty nice place, but it doesn't have enough privacy, and we'd both like to have a lot more space for us, guests, and the dogs we plan on getting."  
   
"And future kids," Danton adds.  
   
Ryan blushes. "And that."  
   
"I love living and playing in Boston," Danton continues. "There's a lot of history in both the city and the team, and everywhere I go, I feel so much support from the fans. It's incredible. And the city is beautiful. There's always something to do, especially in the offseason when we have free time, and the food is great."  
   
"I grew up in the area, so playing here means even more than most people can imagine. It's my childhood dream," Ryan says. "But I've converted Danton. He loves it here."  
   
"With that said, we're getting to the point in life where we'd like to settle down a bit, which is part of why we're looking to move outside the city."  
   
"There's also the fact that it's not really possible to find a huge house with a yard that's actually in Boston," Ryan adds.  
   
"Yes, there is that," Danton agrees. "We've done some thinking, and we've decided that we want to live in Hingham, because it's not too far from Boston, so our commute will be manageable, and it's not far from Scituate, so we won't have to go too far to see Ryan's family."  
   
"They'll actually kill me if we don't visit at least twice a month, and probably more often when there are grandkids in the picture."  
   
"Oh, you know it'll have to be at least once a week."  
   
"Yeah, yeah," Ryan says. "We'd like at least four bedrooms. One for us, one or two for guests, two for the future kids."  
   
"We have everything planned out," Danton laughs. "We're also going to need at least three and a half bathrooms, so that everyone can have their own."  
   
"We'd also like at least 5,000 square feet, because we weren't kidding about wanting lots of room," Ryan continues. "And our ideal price range is about $1.5 to $2 million."  
   
"We are willing to be a bit flexible on that, especially since I really prioritize having a house that's move-in ready, with no work to be done," Danton adds.  
   
"See, I wouldn't mind having to do a little bit of work to get the perfect house," Ryan says. "And just because he's willing to go higher than the budget doesn't mean that I am. Just because we're professional athletes doesn't mean we should go blow all our money on a house."  
   
"Smart guy," Danton smirks. "If there's any work to be done, you're not getting any help from me."  
   
"Whatever you say," Ryan laughs. "I'm dead set on getting a home with a lot of historical charm. This area is full of them, so to get a house that doesn't have any character is just dumb if you ask me. I love Victorians, and colonials are really nice as well, so one of those would be ideal. Unfortunately, _someone_ here doesn't want an older home because he thinks it'll have _ghosts_."  
   
"I never said that!" Danton claims. "I just think newer homes are nicer. But it would be great to have a home that's new, but done in an older style, just so that Ryan can maybe consider liking it."  
   
"Maybe. No matter what, though, I have to have my grand entrance. When you first walk in the house, I want to see something extravagant, something beautiful. I want to walk in and be like 'dang, this is really my house', you know?"  
   
"You're so dramatic, Ry," Danton laughs. "I just want lots of open space, since we've been craving that the past few years. And we both want a really big yard, so that we can build a backyard rink in the future for our kids and still have plenty of extra room."  
   
"We'd also like a large basement for entertaining."  
   
"He means parties," Danton says.  
   
"Sure, but other things, too," Ryan defends. "The last thing that we absolutely have to have is privacy."  
   
"Lots and lots of privacy, ideally," Danton adds. "Not that we're hermits or anything, but when you're Bruins players living in Massachusetts, well. You know."  
   
"We've got to have our space," Ryan says. "And historical charm. No matter what Danton says."  
   
-  
   
_The first house has all the historical charm Ryan could possibly ask for._  
   
"Oh wow," Ryan says as they get out of the car. "I feel like I just stepped into a historical fiction novel. This is amazing."  
   
The house is a white two-story colonial with black shutters, four chimneys, and a bright red door. It's surrounded by a white fence with a gate, and sits right in the town center, though there is a decent amount of space between it and the neighboring houses. The grass is very well-kept, and there are dozens of bushes and small trees to accentuate the house.  
   
"A bit of a busy area though, no? There's a grocery store within walking distance," Danton says.  
   
"But it's so gorgeous."  
   
They walk up to the front door, and out steps their real estate agent.  
   
"Hey boys, it's great to see you again," says Zdeno.  
   
"Hey Big Z!" Danton calls out. "How's the real estate life been treating you?"  
   
"It's been wonderful," Zdeno replies. "When I was your age, I never dreamed I could have so much fun after retiring. But that's not what we're here to talk about."  
   
-  
   
"Z was our captain for our first couple years in the NHL," Ryan says to the camera later.  
   
"He made both of us feel so welcome as young guys on the team, and he's a huge reason why we both had such successful rookie seasons," Danton adds. "Even in the time since he retired, he's continued to be involved with the team, and he's such a positive force in our lives."  
   
"He became a real estate agent after retiring, and we knew that there was no better choice to help us find our first house."  
   
-  
   
"I chose this house because it's a colonial with a lot of historical charm, just like Ryan wanted. It was built in 1820," Zdeno says as he leads them up to the house.  
   
"Oh, wow," Ryan says.  
   
"It has four bedrooms and two bathrooms, one full and one half, and it's 4,281 square feet," Zdeno continues.  
   
"Two bathrooms?" Ryan grimaces.  
   
"I don't think this is going to work," Danton agrees. "It's too small."  
   
"Just go in with an open mind," Zdeno says. "The price is $1.85 million, so it's within your budget."  
   
"Not bad. It is a beautiful house," Ryan says. "Well, let's see it."  
   
Zdeno opens the door, beckoning them to enter, and they do.  
   
"Okay," Ryan says. "This is nice."  
   
The front door leads them into the living room, which is baby blue with white trim on the walls and an open hearth fireplace. It's a large room, though the house has no furniture for the showing.  
   
"Enough of a grand entrance for you?" Danton asks.  
   
"Not really," Ryan admits. "Although it has potential. We'd just need to get some kind of breathtaking artwork to put on that wall." He pauses. "But I would like to see a better grand entrance at some point. A natural one, one that's part of the house."  
   
"This living room is quite nice, though," Danton says. "I'm surprised by how light and airy it is. I didn't expect such an old house to feel anything other than stuffy."  
   
"You see, Heinz? Historical doesn't equal old," Ryan says.  
   
"Sure, that makes perfect sense." Danton rolls his eyes.  
   
They move into the kitchen, and Danton's first reaction is to say "There are definitely ghosts in this kitchen."  
   
"I thought you said you were kidding about the ghosts?" Ryan teases.  
Danton glares at him.  
   
The kitchen is also quite spacious, and features plenty of counter space along with an island with some shelving on the end. The cabinets are all white, just like the walls, and the countertops are brown marble.  
   
"It's quite… historical," Ryan says. "I'm not sure I can get behind all these white cabinets. They're not even a pretty shade of white."  
   
"That makes no sense, Ryan," Danton says.  
   
"I'm right and you know it. But that's an easy fix, as are these horrendous countertops. They don't even match the counters," Ryan says.  
   
"I absolutely love these lights, though," Ryan continues, referring to three semicircular lights hanging from the ceiling above the counter island. "This trim on them is beautiful."  
   
"Ornate," Danton adds. "Historic, even. Much like the ghosts that definitely live here."  
   
"These doors," Zdeno cuts in, gesturing toward a pair of glass-paneled doors at the side of the kitchen, "lead to the backyard. I think you guys are going to want to see that."  
   
They head outside, onto a small deck surrounded by columns supporting a second-floor balcony. To one side, there is a small garden enclosed by a short stone wall, and on the other side of the garden, there is a set of steps leading back around to the front door. On the other side of the balcony, there is just grass, more of the house, and the line of trees separating the house from its neighbor. Beyond the deck, there lies about an acre of sprawling grass leading to a small pond.  
   
"Wow," Danton says. "Imagine what this will look like in the winter, with a backyard rink?"  
   
"It's gorgeous."  
   
They walk all the way across the yard, stopping at the pond, where some nearby geese are feeding on the grass, casting suspicious glances at the newcomers.  
   
"The only problem," Danton continues, "is that you can see the neighbors' houses from here. Both the next door neighbors and the ones behind us."  
   
"That is a problem," Ryan agrees. "As are the geese."  
   
"What? There's nothing wrong with a few geese," Danton says, indignant.  
   
"You say that now, Danton, but what are you going to say when you inevitably step in their poop and ruin your new white shoes?" Ryan says.  
Danton grimaces.  
   
"That's what I thought," Ryan smirks. "Let's go see the rest of the house."  
   
They head back inside and into the dining room. The room is reasonably spacious; there are a few flat lights in the ceiling, but no chandelier or other hanging lights. The walls are plain beige, and the floors are the same dark wood as the rest of the lower level of the house.  
   
"We would definitely need to put in a chandelier," Danton says as soon as they enter.  
   
"Absolutely," Ryan agrees.  
   
"This room has potential," Danton continues, "but absolutely nothing else. And I really didn't want to have to do any work."  
   
"I said I'd do the work," Ryan reminds him. "Potential is good. It means that we can make the space truly our own. I like it."  
   
"Oh, wow," Danton says as Zdeno leads them out of the dining room. "Is this, like, a second living room?"  
   
They are in a room that is essentially a copy of the living room they had seen when they first entered the house, though the walls are the same beige as the dining room. Unlike the dining room, this room has a chandelier, along with another fireplace and a white built-in bookshelf.  
   
"Yes, essentially," Zdeno answers. "This house does not have a basement, so this is where you could host parties and do whatever else you might normally do in one."  
   
"No basement? That's too bad," Ryan says. "But I do like this room. It's not as big as I would hope for a basement to be, but it has enough room that it would work."  
   
"And check out that chandelier," Danton adds. "Gold with black accents. It's perfect for us."  
   
Just past the second living room lie two of the bedrooms, one being the master bedroom, where they stop next. The focal point of the room is a fireplace lined with blue and green tiles, which match the blue walls perfectly. A large window brings in plenty of natural light, and the floor is wooden.  
   
"I love this fireplace," Ryan says.  
   
"This room isn't very big for a master bedroom, though," Danton says.  
   
"Yeah," Ryan agrees. "I love the color, though."  
   
"Would we even be able to fit any more than a king-sized bed, two bureaus, and a desk, though?" Danton asks.  
   
"Do we need to?" Ryan shrugs. "Let's see the en-suite."  
   
They enter the master bathroom, which is surprisingly spacious, given the size of the bedroom. It has a double sink with a long mirror covering the entire wall above the counter, along with a sleek, modern combined shower and bathtub, and a modern but unremarkable toilet.  
   
"I like it," Ryan says. "And the tiles match the fireplace perfectly."  
   
"It's nice," Danton agrees, "but remember that this is the only full bathroom in the house."  
   
Ryan winces. "Yeah, that's not good."  
   
They head back into the bedroom, then down the hallway to the next bedroom. It's not much smaller than the master bedroom, and features a fireplace of its own, though the walls are light yellow.  
   
"Oh, no," Danton exclaims as soon as they enter. "Yellow walls? This is yet another thing that's going to have to change."  
   
"They're not so bad," Ryan says.  
   
"They'd be much worse if they were a little lighter; they'd be the same color as the Penguins," Zdeno jokes.  
   
They head back toward the second living room, then through another door that leads to the stairs, which are simple and wooden. Just past the bottom of the stairs is the second bathroom, which they enter next. It's a fairly standard bathroom, with a baby blue tiled floor and white tiled walls, and the toilet and sink are relatively modern.  
   
"Okay," Ryan says. "I really like these tiles. I still wish there were more bathrooms."  
   
"Agreed," Danton says. "Or at least a shower. I don't know if I can even consider working with just one full bathroom."  
   
When they get upstairs, they are met by a fairly long hallway with plenty of space to put decorations and various furniture, bookended by the two remaining bedrooms. They enter one of them, and are greeted with another fireplace and deep, saturated teal walls. The room is about the same size as the downstairs guest room.  
   
"I don't know how I'd feel about a fireplace in a kid's room," Ryan begins, "but I suppose we could block it off somehow."  
   
"Yeah, that seems dangerous. The color of this room is stunning, though," Danton says.  
   
They move on to the next room, which is the same size as the previous room, but without a fireplace. In its place is a bay window, and the walls are the same light yellow as the guest room.  
   
"That window is beautiful," Danton says. "But I really don't know why someone would paint a room this shade of yellow. Again."  
   
Ryan waves his hand. "We can paint it when the kid's old enough to have a favorite color."  
   
"You can paint it," Danton reminds him, and Ryan rolls his eyes.  
   
Zdeno leads them back into the hallway, through another door, and onto the balcony. The balcony itself is fairly plain, just a wood floor and a latticed white fence, but it has a complete view of the yard.  
   
"If we got some more landscaping in this yard, this view would be to die for," Danton comments.  
   
After spending another minute admiring the view, the three men head back downstairs and out of the house.  
   
"So, what did you think?" Zdeno asks once they're outside again.  
   
"The house is gorgeous, at least, for the most part. It has all the historic charm I was hoping for. But the number of bathrooms is a serious problem. It might be possible to add one upstairs with all that space in the hallway, but even just one more would barely be enough," Ryan says.  
   
"I agree that it's a beautiful house, but it's far from perfect, and we would have to do more work than I'm fully comfortable with. Plus, there's hardly any privacy," Danton adds.  
   
-  
   
"It's the perfect day for this," Ryan says.  
   
_Danton and Ryan have gotten tired of cramped Boston apartment life, and are ready to upgrade to a house in the suburbs._  
   
It's a typical July day, the sun so bright they have to squint to be able to see, even through their sunglasses. They're on a rented boat, sailing around Hingham Bay, neither wearing anything more than board shorts as they bask in the warmth of the sun, something they don't get to feel quite as often as they'd like.  
   
"I hope we can get nice and tan before we have to go back to spending our days in ice rinks," Danton says.  
   
"I look forward to helping you put on your aloe, Heinz," Ryan chirps.  
   
Danton scoffs. "You say that as if you're any more tan than I am."  
   
"Aren't I?" Ryan smirks.  
   
"Shut up, you're literally Irish," Danton says, leaning over to kiss him.  
   
"Yeah, and you're literally the color of our away jerseys," Ryan laughs as they break apart.  
   
_The first house met Ryan's needs, but Danton wasn't as thrilled, and neither of them were happy with only one and a half bathrooms. The second house is more of a compromise, and agent Zdeno Chara is hopeful that his former NHL teammates will both love this one._  
   
"Holy…" Danton trails off. "This house is majestic. Wow."  
   
"I'm speechless," Ryan laughs a little. "This place is a straight-up mansion."  
   
"With a three-car garage," Danton adds.  
   
"And those columns," Ryan says.  
   
"But the color…" Danton grimaces.  
   
"It's not the greatest, admittedly," Ryan says.  
   
"Ryan," Danton sighs. "It's Penguins yellow. It has to go."  
   
"Okay, yeah, you're right. But besides that? This place is gorgeous. Oh my God," Ryan says.  
   
"Hey guys," Zdeno says, walking over to them. "It's quite the house, isn't it?"  
   
"Other than the color? Yes, yes it is," Danton replies.  
   
It really is an impressive house; it's wide, with two stories, a three-car garage that has at least one room above it, and a single chimney. The lawn is rather sparse, however, with no real landscaping other than well-kept grass and the trees that surround the property. In the front of the house, there is a balcony, supported by thick white columns, and on the side opposite the garage is a shaded porch.  
   
"This house has a little bit of everything you guys want, so I thought it would be a good compromise for you to consider. The one major downside, at least for Ryan, is that it was built in 2005, so while it is a colonial with a lot of historical inspiration in its design, it's not a truly historic home," Zdeno says.    
"2005 is kind of historical, right?" Danton nudges Ryan.  
   
Zdeno continues. "It has four bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms."  
   
"Oh, what a relief," Ryan sighs, and Danton nods.  
   
"The house is 6,934 square feet, and it sits on 4.29 acres, so it really is as big as it looks," Zdeno says.  
   
"There has to be a catch, and I bet it's the price," Danton says.  
   
"Admittedly, yes," Zdeno says. "It's just over $2.4 million."  
   
Ryan winces. "That's not even close to our budget."  
   
"It's not that big of a deal, though," Danton reminds him. "We are professional athletes."  
   
"I know that, you idiot," Ryan replies, grinning now. "That doesn't mean we can just blow all our money on a house."  
   
Zdeno leads them into the house as they continue to bicker about the price ("It's not all our money!" Danton exclaims), and as soon as they enter, Ryan stops mid-reply, his jaw actually dropping in shock.  
   
"Danton," he breathes. "Oh my God. Holy - I literally see this staircase every night in my dreams," Ryan says in awe. "Look at it. It's perfect, it's majestic, it's - it's -"  
   
"Grand?" Danton suggests, raising an eyebrow.  
   
"Yes! Danton, oh my God, I'm in love with this staircase. I might have to break up with you just so I can marry it because holy - this is the most beautiful piece of architecture I've ever seen in my life and I went to Harvard, so that's - I'm just - wow."  
   
At this point, Danton is laughing hysterically at Ryan's enthusiasm, so he doesn't respond.  
   
The staircase is rather exquisite. It's exactly the kind of grand entrance Ryan has been hoping for - wooden steps, painted white on the underside, with a light wood finish on top, and a red velvet stair runner draped over the majority of each step, adding an air of elegance. It winds to the side in a perfect half-spiral, with sleek black railings held up by spotless white beams, continuing past the top of the stairs to complete the look.  
   
"So is it worth the extra $449,000 just for that staircase?" Danton asks when he calms down enough to speak coherently.  
   
Ryan considers the question - or maybe he's just struggling to tear his focus away from the staircase. "Maybe," he decides.  
   
"It's not even historical," Danton adds.  
   
"It's historical in spirit. And beauty," Ryan insists.  
   
"While I agree," Zdeno says, "if you'll move away from the staircase, you'll find that there is an entire living room begging for your attention."  
   
Ryan reluctantly looks away from the staircase. The walls of the living room are dark gray, almost black, a shade which shouldn't normally work in any situation, but the light olive green curtains, white paneling, and brick fireplace offset the dark walls nicely. The floors are a simple light wood, and there is a door leading to the porch they saw outside earlier.  
   
"It's nice," Ryan says after a moment. "It's not especially flashy, but that's good. It doesn't take away from the staircase."  
   
"The part of the room that matters most, of course," Danton clarifies.  
   
"Naturally," Ryan agrees. "It's nice and spacious, lots of natural light. A good living room."  
   
"I'm glad you like it," Zdeno says. He takes them back across the entryway, and Ryan takes another long look at the staircase as they enter the dining room.  
   
"Oh, wow," Danton says. "This wallpaper."  
   
The wallpaper has dark gray and black vertical stripes with white paneling. A red, orange, and blue floral rug sits in the middle of the wooden floor, with a wooden dining table and chairs on top and a simple black chandelier above.  
   
"This chair would definitely be mine," Ryan says, pointing to a chair with a direct view of the staircase.  
   
Danton rolls his eyes, fighting a grin.  
   
"These walls shouldn't work, either," Ryan continues. "I mean, stripes? And black? But I somehow like it."  
   
"It's certainly different," Danton agrees, "but somehow elegant. Perfect for you."  
   
They move into the kitchen, which features a mixture of powder blue and white walls, along with white and gray granite countertops and all-white cabinets.  
   
"The features are very modern," Ryan remarks. "And I like these countertops."  
   
"I'm not sure how I feel about these white cabinets," Danton says.  
   
"Maybe with some dark curtains and barstools they'll look better. If not, we can just replace them," Ryan says.  
   
"Now," Zdeno continues, leading them out of the kitchen. "Here, we have the second living room."  
   
The room is about as big as the other living room, with three large windows letting in lots of light. The walls are the same powder blue as parts of the kitchen, accentuated by dark brown and burgundy furniture. There is another fireplace below a wall-mounted TV, although this one is white rather than brick. It also features built-in white bookshelves and cabinets for extra storage.  
   
"It's nice and bright in here," Danton says. "I love it."  
   
"This could be more of a chill living room, while the other one could be more for guests," Ryan suggests.  
   
Zdeno leads them through a door onto the porch, and they look out at the yard. It's mostly grass and the trees that surround the property, with no proper landscaping in place.  
   
"The yard is kind of… lacking," Ryan says.  
   
"Not much to it," Danton agrees. "The porch is nice, though. I like the white fence, but I don't think it can really be all that exciting without some better landscaping in the yard."  
   
"We could hire someone for that," Ryan shrugs.  
   
"I thought you said you'd do all the work?" Danton chirps.  
   
"Not landscaping an entire yard," Ryan laughs. "I'm not artistic enough for that."  
   
"Fair enough."  
   
They head back into the house through another door, and are greeted with what appears to be a music room. There is a black grand piano in the center, along with an electric guitar, two acoustics, and an electric bass. The walls are light brown, and like the rest of the house, it has a lot of windows.  
   
"This is a nice room," Danton says. "Lots of natural light."  
   
"I think we'd need to find a different purpose for it, though," Ryan adds.  
   
"An office?" Zdeno suggests.  
   
"Yeah, that could work," Ryan agrees. "Probably won't get much use, but it'll work."  
   
"Right by this room," Zdeno says as he leads them out of it, "is the guest bathroom." He leads them into a bathroom with beige walls and mahogany cabinets under a single sink, along with a mirror framed in black wood.  
   
"I'm not so sure about this mirror," Danton says. "It doesn't really match the wood."  
   
"That's such an easy fix that I don't even care," Ryan laughs.  
   
Next, Zdeno leads them to the master bedroom. The room is enormous, large enough to make two whole bedrooms if a wall were erected in the middle. The first half of the room is empty other than a plush rug and a single lounge chair. The walls are covered in wallpaper that is white with a purple floral design, though the upper parts of the walls are coated in matching purple paint. The light wood floors and purple paint continue through an archway into the main part of the bedroom, which has two large windows, lighter purple curtains, white bureaus, and a white fireplace with a television over it.  
   
"This room is huge," Danton gawks.  
   
"Wow," Ryan gapes. "Just wow. But all this purple? I'm not so sure I like it."  
   
"Especially the wallpaper," Danton continues. "It's not bad, as far as design goes, but it doesn't suit us. We'd have to redo it."  
The master bathroom is extravagant as well. The shower has gray granite walls, and is quite large. Most notable, however, is the white chandelier that hangs over the bathtub, as well as the counter space that's nearly as long as the tub.  
   
"This is one heck of a bathroom," Ryan laughs.  
   
"Imagine bathing with a chandelier above you? Dang," Danton comments. "Although I wish it had two sinks. All this, and you can't even put in two sinks?"  
   
"Hm," Ryan remarks. "Fair point."  
   
"Now," Zdeno begins as they walk out of the master bedroom. "That's it for the main level. But before we go upstairs," he casts a glance at Ryan, "I think we should see the basement."  
   
Ryan and Danton agree, so Zdeno leads them to an entirely unremarkable staircase leading down.  
   
The basement, they immediately find out, is huge.  
   
"Oh my God," Ryan says. "Think about how much fun our parties would be down here."  
   
"We are going to have some sick parties in here!" Danton says, bringing his hand up to Ryan's for a high-five. "Tons of space. White walls and floor, though? I don't think I like that very much."  
   
"Yeah, it's a little too plain," Ryan agrees.  
   
"But once we add a huge TV, pool table, air hockey, foosball, some couches, some decorations? And some paint, probably," Danton says, "this basement is going to be one heck of a party."  
   
"I'm not sure how comfortable I am with all these changes we're going to have to make, considering how high above our budget this place is," Ryan sighs as they head across the basement to the laundry room.  
   
The laundry room proves to be entirely unremarkable, with little more than laundry-themed wallpaper, white cabinets, a brown tile floor, and a white counter with a sink.  
   
"My grandmother would kill for this wallpaper," Ryan says.  
   
"Well, you can give it to her after we tear it out," Danton replies.  
   
"This is a nice room, though," Ryan says. "I could see you doing laundry in here and enjoying all the natural light."  
   
"Funny, I can see you doing the same thing if you don't want to sleep on the couch," Danton says, and Ryan gasps.  
   
They head back upstairs to the main level. Here, they arrive back at the grand staircase, and at last, Ryan gets to walk up them.  
   
"Oh, this is heaven," he breathes, taking his sweet time to walk up the steps. Danton remains a few steps behind him, smiling despite himself as he watches Ryan's dramatics.  
   
Finally, they arrive at the top of the stairs, and Zdeno leads them through the three remaining bedrooms and bathrooms, as those and a hallway are all that the upper level really has to offer.  
   
"This is very spacious," Ryan says as they enter the first room. It's quite spacious, with two large windows, light gray walls, and light hardwood floors.  
   
Danton hums. "Yeah, I could see a lot of toys littering this floor." Ryan blushes, and Danton smirks. "I don't know that our future children would care for gray walls, though."  
   
They head into the bathroom, and Ryan immediately balks. "Why does this bathroom have two sinks and the master doesn't?"  
   
"Maybe this should be the guest room," Danton suggests, although the space-themed shower curtain suggests that the previous owners did not use the room for that purpose. "But still, that's just cold, developers."  
   
"Exactly!" Ryan exclaims. "Why would a kid need two sinks?"  
   
"Well," Danton says, "if his hair routine is anything like yours…"  
   
"I do not-"  
   
"Okay," Zdeno cuts in. "Let's see the next bedroom."  
   
The next bedroom proves to be about the same size, though the paint is far more interesting; the walls are white except for a single horizontal red stripe in the middle going across the whole room.  
   
"This paint is certainly something," Ryan says.  
   
Danton merely shrugs. "A young boy might like it. I would've."  
   
They head into the bathroom only to find yet another double sink, along with gray walls, a glass shower, and a huge mirror covering the whole wall above the sink.  
   
"Okay, seriously, why do our kids get double sinks and we don't?" Ryan exclaims.  
   
The final bedroom is a little bit smaller than the other two, though not by much, and has brown walls.  
   
"These walls are the color of chocolate," Ryan notes as they enter. "Interesting choice."  
   
"It's a little bit smaller than the others, though," Danton says. "Maybe this should be the guest room? Just so that the kids' rooms are the same size, to be fair and all."  
   
"Maybe," Ryan agrees.  
The en-suite proves to be a bit smaller than the other bathrooms as well, and it has only one sink.  
   
Having seen enough of the extra bedrooms and bathrooms, they head back downstairs. Ryan walks down them at a respectably normal pace, though he does stop at the bottom to admire them once again.  
   
"I do love those stairs," he says as they leave the house.  
   
"So, what did you think? Besides the staircase," Zdeno asks, smiling slightly at Ryan.  
   
"I love it," Ryan says. "There are a lot of things that need to change, both exterior and in, though. I am concerned about the price, especially with the amount of work that needs to be done, and I'd still like to see a more historical home that has enough space."  
   
"I'm not so concerned about the price," Danton chimes in. "We can still afford it, and all the changes on top of that. There are some design choices that I'm not entirely happy about, but overall, I love the house. Ryan, you need to worry just a little bit less about the budget," he laughs.  
   
"It's called being frugal," Ryan jokes, "and practical. And you love it."  
   
"Yeah," Danton admits, "I do."  
   
-  
   
_Danton and Ryan are searching for their perfect home in the suburbs of Boston. Ryan wants something with a lot of historical charm, while Danton wants a more modern house. So far, they've seen one of each, though the first house didn't have as many bathrooms as they'd hoped for and the second house goes over budget while still needing work. The last house has all the historical charm Ryan could possibly ask for, while addressing some of their concerns._  
   
"Whoa," Danton says as they pull up to the third house.  
   
"Whoa," Ryan echoes. "This house is - wow."  
   
The house is a Victorian, three stories with an octagonal tower to the left and a Dutch gable above a prominent white oval window to the right. Most notable, however, is the color of the house: a light sea foam green with just a hint of blue. The shutters, of which there are many, are a darker blue-green that's almost turquoise, though with more green. At the top of the Dutch gable is a circular ornamental white design, and similar designs sit below the three rectangular white windows next to the front door, which is the same light gray as the roof. The lawn is immaculately maintained, with numerous closely-trimmed shrubs and hedges surrounding the house without distracting from it.  
   
"This house is too loud," Danton shakes his head.  
   
"It's what?" Ryan says in disbelief, widening his eyes. "This house is beautiful. It's literally what a mermaid would look like if a mermaid could be a house. And if mermaids were real."  
   
Danton raises an eyebrow, but before he can respond, Zdeno walks over to them.  
   
"Hey boys," he greets. "I figured you'd like to see a Victorian, Ryan."  
   
"Oh, absolutely," Ryan gushes. "This house reminds me of The Little Mermaid."  
   
Danton bursts out laughing, and Zdeno smiles as well, clearly trying to maintain his professionalism.  
   
"Its design is certainly very much inspired by the sea," Zdeno offers.  
   
"I think it draws too much attention to itself," Danton comments. "I can't believe you just admitted on TV that you love The Little Mermaid, Ry."  
   
"I did not!"  
   
"Victorians tend to draw attention by nature," Zdeno cuts in. "I chose this house because it has all the historical charm you could possibly ask for, having been built in 1910, while offering more bathrooms and privacy than the first house. It has three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms."  
   
"Three bedrooms?" Danton says. "If we're planning on having two kids and guests, I don't know…"  
   
"If necessary," Zdeno says, "the basement could function as a guest room."  
   
"I don't know how your parents would feel about that," Ryan says to Danton, grinning.  
"There is also a small office space on the third floor. The house is quite spacious, with 5,993 square feet, and it sits on a 1.3 acre lot. Plenty of room for your backyard rink," Zdeno continues.  
   
"Nice," Ryan says.  
   
"As for the price, it comes in just under your budget, at $1.995 million."  
   
"Okay," Danton says. "That's manageable."  
   
They walk up to the front door and enter the house, finding themselves in a foyer with pale pink walls, a slanted ceiling, three archways leading to different parts of the house, numerous windows, and pink-brown diamond-shaped tile flooring.  
   
"Wow," Ryan says. "It's very… uh, pink, in here."  
   
"I don't think I like this color," Danton says, "but this is a nice entryway."  
   
"Well, I don't know," Ryan begins. "It's a very light pink; it is tasteful. Then again, I think that a nice sea blue would suit the room much better. The exterior already leaves such a strong impression that the entryway really should match."  
   
"Blue would definitely be better" Danton says. "I do love all these windows. And the tiles are very nice."  
   
Zdeno leads them through one of the archways and into the living room. The mauve walls, rather than having simple corners, create a sort of half-octagon shape, indicating that they are on the tower side of the house. Frilly gray curtains decorate the windows, and another archway leads to the rest of the living room.  
   
"Whoever lived here before must really love pink," Danton says.  
   
"Nothing wrong with pink in general, but I don't really want it for our living room," Ryan adds. "I'm not convinced that it fits the sea theme, anyway. But I do love the irregular walls, and the arches - this house definitely has character."  
   
"I'm a big fan of these hardwood floors, actually," Danton says. "They're the perfect shade - not too dark, not too light."  
   
"Good insight, Goldilocks," Ryan smirks, and Danton swats at him, causing Zdeno to look at the camera and shake his head, a small smile on his face.  
   
They move into the main part of the living room, which looks much the same, but is larger.  
   
"There's a lot of room in here," Danton marvels.  
   
"Yeah," Ryan says, "it's like a Victorian parlor room."  
   
"You know, I'm starting to wonder if you didn't secretly get your degree in history," Danton chirps.  
   
"You don't grow up in Mass and go to Harvard without gaining an appreciation for history, especially in the form of architecture and interior design," Ryan says, and Danton laughs.  
   
"Still a nerd," he teases.  
   
"But I'm your nerd," Ryan says in a sickly sweet voice, and Zdeno leads them away.  
   
As they move out of the room, they come across the staircase. It's a split staircase, with white steps with medium wooden tops, and a floral maroon stair runner draped over the stairs.  
   
"Oh," Ryan breathes.  
   
"How does it hold up to the last one?" Danton asks. "I really like it myself."  
   
"I love it," Ryan says. "It doesn't take my breath away like the last one, but it's gorgeous anyway, and it'll bring me great joy to walk up these stairs."  
   
"I think you have a thing for stair runners," Danton jokes.  
   
They move on to the dining room, which is also quite large. It features a brick fireplace, tan walls, and a gold-colored chandelier, as well as a brick fireplace.  
   
"This is nice," Ryan says. "It's so big, though. Almost too big for this little round table they have in here."  
   
"We could get a longer table, maybe some more decorations," Danton suggests.  
   
"Oh, of course," Ryan agrees easily. "I think the wall color in here is alright. I don't love it, but I don't dislike it, either."  
   
"It doesn't fit your sea theme, though," Danton points out.  
   
"No, but with the right decorations, it could," Ryan says. "It looks a little bit like sand."  
   
They head into the kitchen next.  
   
"Oh…" Danton starts. "Oh, no."  
   
"This wallpaper," Ryan grimaces.  
   
The wallpaper is, indeed, rather antiquated. It's sunshine yellow, with a pattern featuring various fruits and birds. All the cabinets are white, with the countertops being a plain gray that doesn't particularly match the wallpaper. Even the tiled floor is white. The appliances, especially the stove, are rather outdated.  
   
"This kitchen is really honing in on the historical charm, isn't it?" Danton raises an eyebrow.  
   
"I don't think it works here," Ryan says. "I think my grandma is too young to enjoy this aesthetic."  
   
"She'd probably like the frilly curtains, though," Danton laughs, and Ryan does, too.  
   
"I like the windows," Ryan says. "But the wallpaper, the cabinets, the countertops, the appliances… this whole kitchen, just about, is going to have to change."  
   
"I wouldn't be surprised if there are ghosts in here, though," Danton says.  
   
"Oh, come on," Ryan laughs.  
   
From the kitchen, Zdeno leads them into the guest bathroom, which has light blue walls, white tile floor, and antique appliances.  
   
"Now this is a good example of historical charm and making antiquity work," Ryan says, gesturing toward the antique toilet. "Unlike that kitchen."  
   
Zdeno leads them out to the last room of the first floor, which is an enclosed porch. The walls are the same mauve as the living room, and the room is rather long and bright.  
   
"This would be a great place to hang out," Ryan says. "There's still a basement, though. Maybe we could make this into an extra bedroom?"  
   
"Or make the living room into an extra bedroom, since this is technically a porch," Danton suggests.  
   
"Yeah," Ryan says, "or that."  
   
They head through a door at the other end of the porch, which leads them out into the backyard. There's a small deck, with a few lounge chairs and plenty of room to put a grill. Surrounding it are a variety of flowers and bushes, though the majority of the yard is empty other than the grass.  
   
"This is a great size for a yard," Danton says.  
   
"It's huge," Ryan says. "Yet it's still nicely landscaped. And the deck is a nice touch."  
   
"Lots of privacy, too," Danton comments, referring to the thick covering of trees shielding the yard from neighbors.  
   
They head back into the porch, then the living room, and up the stairs. Ryan takes his time to admire the stair runner more closely, but still walks up at a reasonable pace. They find themselves in a hallway, with three doors leading to the three bedrooms.  
   
"I think the hallway is going to need a new paint job, too," Danton says. "Beige is so boring."  
   
"If you're saying it's boring, I know it's really boring," Ryan teases.  
   
Zdeno leads them through one of the doors and into the master bedroom. The walls are painted a light sea foam green not unlike the color of the house's exterior, making them much more colorful than the hallway. It's spacious, and there are no outdated curtains. There is, however, a bright azure carpet.  
   
"Yikes," Ryan says.  
   
"This carpet is tragic," Danton groans.  
   
"But the wall color is gorgeous," Ryan protests.  
   
"Yeah, it is," Danton agrees. "But we can't sleep in a room with carpet, Ry. That's disgusting. We'll - I mean, you'll - have to tear it up."  
   
"You're still going with the 'I'm not helping you if the house needs work' narrative, huh?" Ryan laughs. "I don't even care about the carpet. It's not like it's hard to remove carpeting, right?"  
   
"Right," Danton chuckles, shaking his head. "Let's see the bathroom."  
   
The bathroom is fairly standard; there's nothing particularly antique about it. The walls are a simple light gray, and it features a double sink and a modern all-glass shower.  
   
"I like it," Ryan says with a shrug. "The colors aren't exactly interesting, but, I mean, it's a bathroom. And it is nice and spacious."  
   
"I kind of wish the master suite was on the first floor, though," Danton says.  
   
They return to the hallway and make their way into the second bedroom, which is currently set up as a home gym. The walls are off-white, and the carpet is a dull light gray. The only color in the room is the dark blue floral curtains.  
   
"More carpet," Danton says, frowning.  
   
"I'll rip it up," Ryan says, waving a hand dismissively. "We'll need to paint it, too. Then again, we can just wait until the kid is old enough to pick a color and paint it then."  
   
"Yeah," Danton agrees. "No rush."  
   
"It's a good size for a bedroom," Ryan says. "The color's no real issue."  
   
They see the bathroom next, which is quite a contrast to the room. It has mauve walls which match the living room, and an ornate mirror above the sink.  
   
"You know," Ryan says, "I think I like this color a hundred times better in this bathroom than in the living room."  
   
"It does suit it much better," Danton agrees.  
   
The third bedroom proves to be quite colorful as well. Its walls are a pastel lime green, though the carpet is the same dull gray as the previous bedroom.  
   
"This color isn't bad," Danton says.  
   
"I think it's nice," Ryan says. "It'll be one of the kid's rooms, though, so it's up to them whether or not we keep it long-term."  
   
"The carpet is regrettable, though," Danton says.  
"I don't know," Ryan muses, "is carpet really so bad in a young kid's room?"  
   
"Yes," Danton replies instantly.  
   
"But isn't it safer if they, like, fall, or whatever?"   
"I would say so," Zdeno says, "but it's also much harder to clean. The decision is entirely up to you, of course."  
   
They enter the final bathroom next, and are greeted with something that matches the second bedroom much better than the one to which it is actually attached. The walls and floor are plain white tiles, as are all the appliances, except for the gray shower curtain.  
   
"This room needs some color," Ryan says. "It's so boring."  
   
"It's nice otherwise, though," Danton says. "Everything is up to date, reasonably modern."  
   
They head back into the hallway once again, and this time, Zdeno takes them upstairs to the third floor. As Zdeno mentioned earlier, there is nothing up there but a small room which currently functions as an office. The walls are white, and extremely slanted to accommodate the roof. The floors, unlike most of the second floor, are the same hard wood as most of the first floor.  
   
"This room also needs some color," Ryan says. "But at least it doesn't have carpet."  
   
"I feel like this would be a good guest room," Danton says. "It's small, but my parents wouldn't mind. And there's plenty of privacy, what with it being on the third floor. It's not like we need an office."  
   
"And that'll leave us both the basement and the patio for parties," Ryan says, grinning. "I thought having only three bedrooms would be a problem, but this really isn't so bad."  
   
"Yeah, it's not," Danton agrees. "Alright, let's see the basement."  
   
They head back down two flights of stairs, then around the house to a third flight of stairs leading to the basement. It's a large basement, though not as big as the one in the previous house, with exposed beams, white walls with wood paneling, and a blue carpet. There are very few windows, leaving the basement rather dark.  
   
"Exposed beams," Danton says, wrinkling his nose. "Not a fan."  
   
"This wood paneling is the wrong kind of vintage," Ryan says. "Not to mention, more carpet in a color that should never be used for carpeting."  
   
"At least it's spacious," Danton sighs.  
   
"And we can fix it up," Ryan says.  
   
"That seems to be a pattern with this house," Danton says.  
   
They head back upstairs, and out of the house.  
   
"What did you think?" Zdeno asks.  
   
"I love it," Ryan starts. "It's an absolutely gorgeous house, both inside and out. There are a lot of things that need to change, especially given that it's near the top of our budget, but there's nothing unmanageable. And I thought the bedroom count would be an issue, but it really won't be."  
   
"I'm not a fan of the amount of changes that need to be made," Danton says. "Otherwise, I agree that it is a very nice place, if outdated."  
   
"I guess we're going to have a very tough decision to make," Ryan grins. "Good problem to have."  
   
-  
   
"Okay," Ryan begins. "How about the colonial with the pond?"  
   
"It was a beautiful house," Danton says. "Older than I'd like, but beautiful. However, I'm not too comfortable with only having one and a half bathrooms."  
   
"I really liked the style, but the lack of bathrooms is a huge problem," Ryan says.  
   
"Not much privacy, either," Danton adds. "And there's still work to be done."  
   
"What about the modern colonial with the staircase?" Ryan asks.  
   
"It has everything we need," Danton says. "And it's a gorgeous modern house, but it still has historic inspiration, so I feel it's a nice compromise."  
   
"The biggest concern I have is the amount of work that we'll have to do, especially the paint job," Ryan adds. "It's also way over budget, and just because we can afford it doesn't mean we should."  
   
"But that staircase," Danton says.  
   
"Okay, yeah, that staircase," Ryan agrees. "It's a stunning house both inside and eventually out, once we get a new paint job and some landscaping."  
   
"How about the sea-inspired Victorian?" Danton asks.  
   
"That is one of the most uniquely beautiful homes I have ever seen in my life," Ryan says. "Imagine owning that place. Just imagine it."  
   
"Yeah, I'll admit that I've come to appreciate the look of it more. But there are so many changes that need to be made, even more than the second house," Danton says.  
   
"Changes aren't so bad, though. We don't have to move in right away, and we can hire people," Ryan says.  
   
"Well," Danton says. "I think we can at least agree to rule out the first house."  
   
"Yeah, I agree," Ryan says. "We could make it work, but with the other houses being so great, I think one of them would be better for us."  
   
"Okay," Danton says. "I know which one I'm leaning toward. You?"  
   
Ryan thinks for a moment, then nods. "Yeah. Say it at the same time?"  
   
"Sure," Danton agrees, and they count down from three.  
   
"The Victorian!" they say at the same time, and Ryan's face lights up with a grin.  
   
"No way!" he says. "I thought for sure you were going to pick the modern colonial."  
   
"I was tempted," Danton says, "but you're right about the budget. Both of these houses have everything we need, and what's a little bit of work? Besides, I do love the ocean. We both do. Why not let our house reflect that?"  
   
"Okay," Ryan says, still grinning. "Then it's settled!"  
   
-  
   
_"Make sure you're keeping it straight!" Danton says to Ryan as they paint the foyer of their new house. What was once pale pink is now becoming baby blue._  
   
"We closed on the house two weeks ago, and we've started doing our renovations," Ryan says to the camera. "Danton changed his mind and decided to help me with the renovations anyway. We decided not to hire people for the more simple renovations, so that the house can really have our own personal touch."  
   
"Literally," Danton adds.  
   
"The house was listed at $1,995,000," Zdeno says. "We negotiated and got it for $1,950,000."  
   
"I can't believe I'm living in such a flashy, historical home," Danton says, "and the best part is that I absolutely love it. Ryan always encourages me to try new things, and I'm so glad we chose this house."  
   
"I know Danton didn't want to do any work on the house, but I don't mind at all," Ryan says. "When it's all said and done, the house will be really and truly ours."  
   
"And there isn't too much to do," Danton says. "It'll all be ready by the start of the season, and we'll be good to go."  
   
"So far, we've painted all the rooms except the foyer, which we're still working on, and we've ripped up the carpets and put in hard wood. We still need to replace some of the appliances, and we haven't even touched the basement yet," Ryan says.  
   
_"Look at this," Ryan says, gesturing to the entryway. "I feel so relieved to be home."_  
   
"We couldn't possibly be happier with this home," Danton says.  
   
"There are so many memories to come, and I'm 100% ready," Ryan says, squeezing Danton's hand.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to follow me on [tumblr](http://www.cjmasim.tumblr.com/)!


End file.
